Phenotypic diversity within a Pseudomonas aeruginosa population infecting an adult with cystic fibrosis

摘要: Chronic airway infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa contribute to the progression of pulmonary disease in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). In setting CF, within-patient adaptation a P. strain generates phenotypic diversity that can complicate microbiological analysis patient samples. We investigated within- and between- sample 34 phenotypes among 235 isolates cultured from sputum samples collected single CF over span one year, assessed colony morphology as screening tool for predicting phenotypes, including antimicrobial susceptibilities. identified 15 distinct morphotypes varied significantly abundance both within between Substantial heterogeneity was also noted other being unreliable predictors susceptibility phenotypes. Emergence reduced β-lactams observed during periods clinical therapy aztreonam. Our findings confirm population chronic lung is highly dynamic, intra-sample underestimated if only or few colonies are analyzed per sample.